Introducing the new RUN Committee

Convenor: Peter Duffy (Qld)

Peter is a life member of The Services Union (ASU) in Queensland. Peter worked for 40 years in the electricity supply industry throughout the state and irrespective of his position or location; he has always been a union member. Peter has been a workplace delegate, senior delegate and a member of the Queensland Services Union Management Committee for over fifteen years.

In 2012, Peter became Treasurer of ASU Services, a position he held until retirement. The union nominated Peter to be a Trustee Director of Energy Super (an Industry superannuation Fund). Since retiring in July 2017, Peter has become an active member of Vintage Reds Queensland and holds a position on their committee.

Peter is a long time member of the ALP and has actively worked on election campaigns for federal, state, and local government members.

Secretary:  Janine Kitson  (NSW) 

Janine is a Life Member of the NSW Teachers Federation (TF) and the Ryde-Macquarie Teachers Association.  Towards the end of her teaching career she worked as a Relief Organiser for the NSW TF. 

From 2015-2019 she worked closely with Combined Retired Unionists Association (CRUMA) and other retired unionists to achieve the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area near Lithgow that was a ‘a win-win’ for workers and the environment. 

Janine is a founding member of the Sydney Retired Unionist Group (Sydney RUG) and the current Secretary of the group.  Janine is also active in defending the national public broadcaster as the Convenor of ABC Friends Northern Suburbs of Sydney Branch. 

Katherine Byrne:  (SA)

Katherine is a retired science and electronics high school teacher.  Kathy was a member of the SA Branch of the AEU for 42 years and these days she is a member of RUSA (Retired Unionists of SA). 

Kathy describes herself as a “political tragic” and a rusted-on political activist of the Labor Party.  Alongside these interests Kathy is also busy at the Adelaide Zoo where she is either a volunteer guide or assisting with the archiving at the zoo’s library.  Kathy is also active in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Friends group. 

Colin Ormsby:  (AMWU Retired Members Division)

Colin Ormsby has been a lifelong union member commencing his career in the Victorian Branch of ADSTE (Association of Drafting Supervisory and Technical Employees).  Colin was an ADSTE delegate before becoming a paid official.  In 1991, ADSTE amalgamated with the AMWU and Colin continued in his work with the AMWU as an organiser.

Since retiring from the AMWU, Colin become the National Secretary of the AMWU Retired Members Division.  Colin has been a member of the RUN Committee for many years. 

Jon Price:  (Tasmania) 

Jon started his working life in the BLF, and throughout his varied career he has always been a union member.  This has included stints in the ATEA, the AWU, and the Unemployed Workers Union before heading to Uni and training to be a teacher.  More recently, Jon was a member of the Tasmanian Branch of the AEU.  He has often been the delegate/workplace rep and at various times a delegate to his union’s state council and to the ALP.

These days, Jon is an active member of the Hobart Retired Workers Union, he sometimes assists local unions in various campaigns.  Jon is also involved in local campaigns including the Clarence Climate Action, the Tasmanian Climate Action Coalition and the Clarence Dog Owners’ Group, the Yes 23 Campaign and the No cashless Debit Cards Campaign. 

Jane Timbrell:  (ACT)  Newsletter Editor

Before finally retiring, Jane worked as an Organiser with the AMWU in the Canberra Office.  Previously she had been an Industrial Officer with the NSW PSA in Sydney where she held numerous positions including Special Projects Officer and Women’s Officer.  Jane is the founding Convenor of the Vintage Reds of the Canberra Region.  Jane has been appointed by the ACT Government to the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing (MACA) and to the ACT Working Group concerning possible changes to the Retirement Villages Act. 

Jane is a life member of the ACT Branch of the ALP.  She has twice been a Labor candidate in the NSW seat of Strathfield; and an Alderman/Councillor and Deputy Mayor on Ashfield Council.  She holds a BA (Hons).  Her other interests include her functional fitness classes, playing bridge, cooking and knitting. 

Rodger Smith:  Victoria 

Rodger Smith was an active CPSU delegate at Telstra for 28 years before switching careers and becoming an organiser with the NTEU based at Monash University in Victoria.  Whilst working for the NTEU, Rodger was a member of the ASU. 

After retiring, Rodger was involved in establishing the Retired Members Group (Private Sector Branch) of the ASU in Victoria.  Unfortunately, that group folded.  These days, Rodger is a member of the newly established VTHC Retired Members Group.  Rodger was the first Convenor of RUN until he recently stood down from the position. 

Rodger’s passion has been singing and he has been a member of the Victorian Trade Union Choir since 1996, and he has travelled overseas to sing with Australian Union Singers in New Zealand and Timor L’este. 

Paul Doughty:  ACTU

Paul assists the Retired Unionists Network and is currently Manager of Education and Research Partnerships in the Education and Capacity Building team at the ACTU.